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Abd al-Mutalib ibn Ghalib ibn Musa‘ad (1790 - January 29, 1880) was an Arab official who served three times as Emir and Grand Sharif of Mecca: briefly in 1827, then from 1851 - 1856, and finally from 1880 - 1881. Abd al-Mutalib was born in Mecca of the esteemed Hashemite Abd lineage, the same clan as the Prophet Muhammad. His noble lineage came with high status in Meccan society where his family was deeply rooted in the religious and social fabric of the Hejaz and the Islamic holy cities, Mecca and Medina. Little is known of his first rule as Emir and Grand Sharif of Mecca in 1827, as it lasted less than a year, after which he was dismissed due to the Egyptian occupation of Hejaz. His second rude, 1851 - 56, was more significant, marked by power struggles between the waning Ottoman Empire and rising tribal powers in the Arabian Peninsula. It was further disrupted by ongoing conflicts with his predecessor (and successor) Muhammad ibn Awn (1767 - 1858) over slavery: Abd al-Mutalib was pro-slavery and anti-Ottoman, while Muhammad ibn Awn was anti-slavery and pro-Ottoman. Abd al-Muttalib attempted to expel the Ottomans and was consequently forced out of power by the pro-Ottoman Awn in 1856, when Abd al-Muttalib himself was captured and sent to Istanbul. He returned to power in Mecca 1880, and this time attempted to work with Ottoman authorities and even foreign powers, mainly the English, to mitigate the influence of his sworn enemy, the powerful Ottoman general Osman Nuri Pasha (1832 - 1900). Nonetheless, in 1882 he was administratively replaced by a member of a rival Hashemite clan branch due to suspicions that he was opposed to Ottoman Sultan ‘Abd al-Hamid II. Despite the tumultuous nature of his three reigns, Abd al-Muttalib suzernity was also marked by efforts to enhance the Hajj experience, including improving infrastructure, safety, and pilgrim care. He is responsible for both the first (c. 1856) and second (1880) maps of Medina, the latter being the first scientific survey of the holy city.
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This copy is copyright protected.
Copyright © 2024 Geographicus Rare Antique Maps